What Would Have Happened? Part II: Monkey Business UPDATE
by Em Pataki
Summary: What would have happened if Phoebe hadn't interrupted Helga when she was speaking to Arnold on what she thought was her death bed?
1. Chapter 1

What Would Have Happened? Part II: Is This The End?

Chapter 1: Is This The End

After a week spent of paying close attention to the symptoms she had acquired from contact with a circus monkey…

Itching and puffiness

Sweaty palms

Loss of appetite

Irrtibiliy

Expiration

Helga decided it was too late for her. Mr. Simmons had made it sound as though everything scientists had gone through with animals was possible. The blonde girl found it to be a load of nonsense until she began to follow through on everything the animal theory had predicted. Perhaps SHE was the crazy one?

After the symptoms had taken over her, Helga awoke to a phone call from her friend.

"Hello Phoebe, it's Helga. Do you know what our math assignment was?"

Without even thinking out it, Helga's mind jumped to the next stage after reading the line of symptoms.

"No! I DON'T know what our math assignment was!"

While Phoebe was used to Helga's hostility, she found it to be a bit overwhelming in this case. All she had done was ask her friend a simple question, which led to the fourth symptom.

Once Helga realized this, she had decided that was the end for her. After all, she had acquired all the other symptoms. Why wouldn't she expire?

After realizing her unnecessary attitude, the petrified girl requested her best friend set up what she considered close enough to be a funeral. It's not like her parents would care, let alone notice. Why bother telling them?

_Arnold's Room_

Arnold and Gerald were hanging out like they always do, when they couldn't decide on an activity. Before they knew it, the phone was ringing.

Arnold grabbed the phone that was sitting beside him near the couch, not expecting to hear what he did.

"Hello?"

"Hello Arnold. It's Phoebe."

"Oh, hey Phoebe."

"There's something going on with Helga. She wants everyone to come to her house this afternoon. Although she wouldn't tell me why, from what I understood, it's formal."

"Umm okay. Thanks Phoebe."

After seeing his friend hang up the phone, Gerald stood with his hands on his hips and asked "What was that about?"

Arnold revealed a complex look as he explained "Apparently, Helga wants everyone to dress up and meet at her place this afternoon."

Gerald lifted an eyebrow at the answer and replied "Are you sure we're talking about Pataki and not Rhonda?"

Arnold shrugged his shoulders at the response as he replied "That was Phoebe on the phone. She said Helga wouldn't tell her the reason for the get together, but I have a feeling it's not good."

Arnold may not have been willing to admit it (let alone realize it), but the idea of something happening to Helga always put an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Whether it was because he would no longer have someone to pay him negative attention throughout the day, or because she was one of the few people who had always stood by him, he had a bad feeling about Phoebe's request.

If he in no way had feelings for Helga, why would he bother showing up? After all, he was the one he picked on more than anyone else. Something was obviously going on, and he wanted to know what it was (even if he wasn't aware of the reason).

"Well, guess I better get home and change." Gerald shrugged his shoulders.

Why Arnold was listening to his friend, realizing the same thing, he couldn't take his mind off what this was all about. He sat bent over on the couch, staring at the floor. What if there really was something wrong with Helga?

_If it's just a party, I'll feel stupid, but since when does she care what other people look like?_

"Uhh yeah. See ya Gerald." For the first time in quite a while, they didn't bother to do their secret handshake. When Gerald saw Arnold couldn't take his eyes off the floor, he didn't see much of a point in it.

_Arnold's Kitchen_

As Gerald was walking out, he was stopped when he heard the words "Hey, where's shortman?"

Gerald turned to see Phil sitting in the kitchen and replied "Apparently we're meeting at Helga's this afternoon. She spends every day torturing us, then out of nowhere, decides to have a formal get together at a house with a neglecting family?"

Phil chuckled at Gerald's outburst and replied "I told shortman she liked him! She's probably just too scared to do it in private. When Pookie first said it to me, it was in a sarcastic tone in front of our friends. I knew better though."

Gerald left the house, not knowing what to say after that. Helga liking Arnold...and in that way? Guess he'd find out that afternoon.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: What's Your Point?

_A Few Hours Later_

_Arnold's Kitchen_

Arnold began heading downstairs for the door, when he heard "Lookin' sharp there shortman!"

"Uhh thanks grandpa." the blonde boy replied, as he was preparing to leave.

Remembering what Gerald had told him, Phil smiled and said "So, anxious to get to your girl eh?"

Arnold turned away from the door to face Phil, who was sitting in the kitchen and replied "My what?!"

Phil chuckled at what he was sure was his grandson's denial attitude and replied "Better make it quick! Don't want one of your little classmates stealing her from you!"

"Grandpa…" Arnold sighed. Sometimes he didn't know if Phil was serious, or just trying to get a good laugh out of someone.

_Helga's Room_

The down-hearted girl sat under the covers of her bed with a notepad and pencil, trying to decide which of her possessions would be appropriate to give away, and to who.

Books for her best friend, out of date clothes for the Queen of Fashion, and her most intimate guarded secret for the one she loved.

_Helga's Front Door_

Arnold stood on the porch in his suit, wondering what this could all be about. Was she sick? If so, she never accepted help from anyone in her time of need. She attended parties, she didn't throw them. Not only did she dress casually, she couldn't care less how everyone else looked. This was not an easy thing to pinpoint.

After knocking on the door, Arnold was welcomed in by his classmates and listened to Stinky say "Hey Arnold! What's the big deal? Why'd Phoebe ask us all to come here today?"

"I don't know Stinky."

The blonde boy took a seat on a nearby chair as he watched Phoebe call their friends up in the order Helga requested. Just seeing Helga wanted to speak to everyone separately made it obvious they weren't there to celebrate anything.

_Helga's Room_

"Dear sweet Phoebe. I want you to have all my books; use them well."

The perturbed girl looked at her friend, still not understanding what was going on and replied "But Helga, why are you giving away all your things? Are you moving? Is that what this is all about?"

The ill-fated girl shook her head, unable to tell her friend the dark future she saw lying ahead of her. Before letting Phoebe leave, she handed her the library book that led her to believe she was on the verge of her death bed, and asked that she would be nice enough to return it.

_Downstairs_

"This sure is a right keen paddle ball! Helga gave it to me especially!" Stinky told them, while he continued to play with his classmate's former possession.

Arnold sat, watching everyone walk downstairs with more of Helga's possessions, not being able to put the pieces together. Although he knew deep down she wasn't a bad person, she had never shown herself to be this giving before.

Rhonda then came down the steps with a handful of what she considered to be hideous clothes and said "I guess, you're the last one Arnold."

_Hallway_

Rather than taking her gifts home, Phoebe stood in the hallway with the book Helga had given her. She opened it to the book marked page: Monkeynucleosis.

Arnold past her in the hall, not thinking anything of it, as she stood there, wondering if this may have anything to do with the way Helga was acting.

Helga had said what a load of nonsense the scientific diseases were; why would she be reading about them?

_Helga's Room_

There Helga laid in her bed with a flower draping over her hands. She didn't know what she found to be sadder; that she was about to die, or that there really was no chance of her and Arnold sharing a future together.

"And so Arnold, now that I'm about to go. I guess I might as well tell you…"

"Tell me what?" the curious boy asked. While he had been worried about what this whole thing was leading to, he never suspected Helga was keeping something from him.

"All these past years while I've called you names like football head, and yutz, and paste for brains, and…"

It didn't matter if he was worried about her or not, they both knew what she was doing was unnecessary. Perhaps she figured it didn't matter at that point what he or anyone else thought of her. Be it her best friend, her neglecting family, or the love of her life.

"Helga, what's your point?"

Sighing deeply as she stared down at her blankets, Helga began letting her emotions out as if there was no longer a risk involved. It didn't matter how crazy Arnold or anyone else thought she was for loving him if she was about to die.

_Hallway_

After coming to the conclusion Helga must be feeling she had acquired one of the fabled diseases, Phoebe was preparing to race into her friend's room. That is, until she heard something she wasn't expecting. With her ear pressed against the door, she knew Helga must find there was no harm in letting Arnold know the truth if she was about to die.

Phoebe was always there to look out for Helga. Should she run in and stop this now that she knew what Helga was thinking, or should she let her friend continue on, and pray Arnold would prove himself to be the loving, mature person the city saw him as.

_Helga's Room_

"My point is, I really don't hate you Arnold. In fact, quite the contrary, I've fallen madly in love with you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: I Might As Well Tell You

_Downstairs_

After making her decision, Phoebe headed back downstairs where the rest of her friends were waiting.

"So what's this all about Phoebe?" Sid asked, not knowing why Helga would have everyone dress up AND give away all her things. Since when did Helga G. Pataki care about any of their feelings?

Phoebe began to rub her arm as she turned to hide her blushing face and said "Oh, Helga just saw an emotional film with Olga last night that put her in quite a giving mood. You can all leave now."

Everyone shrugged their shoulders as they walked out the door. Everyone that is, except Gerald. He watched Phoebe take a seat beside him. As he listened to her let out a troubling sigh, he asked "So tell me, since when does Pataki spend quality time with her sister?"

_Helga's Room_

"I'm sorry what?" Arnold asked in bewilderment, after hearing Helga's confession.

Helga remained speechless with the sorrowful look on her face, feeling as though that was Arnold's way of rejecting her.

After not hearing a response, Arnold stood from his chair and asked "Are you sure you're okay Helga? I mean, you've given away your things to people you're always insulting. Now you're telling me (the person you pick on more than anyone) that you love me?"

Sure if she had the guts to do it in a normal, healthy situation, his response would only agitate her. It didn't seem to matter to her how she acted at this point.

_Downstairs_

"Wait a second! Wait a second! You're telling me Pataki's up there right now, spilling her guts to my man, all because she thinks she has one of those crazy animal diseases that put nearly half the class to sleep?!" Gerald asked in bewilderment.

He didn't know what to find more shocking; that Helga believed the diseases were real, or that she felt that way about Arnold.

"I'm afraid it's true. I was about to run in and tell her there was nothing to worry about, until I heard her committing the bravest act of her life." Phoebe smiled.

"And that would be?" Gerald lifted an eyebrow, not feeling he could be impressed by anything Helga did. She was the biggest tomboyish girl in the school.

"Helga has finally found the courage to open up to Arnold. Because it's under false circumstances however, I don't know what kind of friend she will see me as now?"

_Helga's Room_

Helga watched Arnold stand beside her, as though he had become more anxious for an answer than she was to die.

"It's the truth Arnold. I've loved you ever since the moment I laid eyes on your stupid football head. You were the one person who made me believe there are people out there who care about me. Now I can at least die knowing that."

_Downstairs_

Gerald took a seat beside Phoebe, as he wrapped his arm around her and said "Don't be ridiculous babe. If Pataki wants to risk humiliating herself, that's her decision, not yours. Besides, think about how crazy his grandparents are; and he puts up with them every day."

"I suppose so." Phoebe sighed at the floor, still feeling as though (as Helga's best friend) it was her job to prevent the blonde girl from doing something she wasn't ready for.

_Helga's Room_

Arnold gave his classmate a perplexed look, as he stood beside her and asked "I'm glad I could make you feel that way Helga, but what was so special about me that made your life seem so great?"

Helga was beginning to feel like her old self again. As the anger began bubbling inside her, she wondered how he couldn't see it? How could anyone NOT want to be with someone so caring? Arnold apparently just didn't see himself the way she did. Perhaps it was because no one had ever made him feel as low as they did Helga.

If she was made fun of once in preschool for liking him, how could she take the chance of anyone growing up too remember that day?

Helga then pushed off the covers and sat facing Arnold as she asked "Don't you remember the first day of preschool? I was sopping wet when you still managed to compliment my sorry excuse for an outfit. Then…."

Before Helga could go on with her feelings, Gerald and Phoebe entered the room.

"Forgive the intrusion, but if it's okay Arnold, I would like to speak with Helga about something." Phoebe requested.

Arnold looked back and forth from Helga's irritated face to Phoebe's hopeful one and said "Uhhh sure. Hope you feel better Helga."

After seeing him leave the room, Phoebe shut the door and took a seat beside her best friend, who seemed to have forgotten about expiring.

"Is everything alright Helga?"

The flustered girl raised her head that was resting in her hands, as though she had just felt defeated. "Yeah Pheebs, I'm fine. Now that I know he never even thought about me for a second all this time, I guess there really is no point in going on."

Phoebe watched her friend hang her head low as she replied "Helga, forgive me if this seems a bit extreme, but I don't believe either of you were ready for such an extraordinary step in your lives."

The girl who had now found her angry side, turned to her best friend and said "What the heck was I supposed to do Pheebs?! Die without telling him how I feel? Sheesh!"

Helga stood with her arms crossed, not thinking about the fact she hadn't told her best friend the reason for giving away her things.

Her eyes then widened as she remembered, and heard her friend say "Helga, I know what's going on, and you've got everything all wrong. Contact with a monkey isn't really dangerous."

As happy as she was that she wasn't going to die, Helga now had to live with not only knowing she had told Arnold her deepest, darkest, secret, but wondering if all those years of obsessive dreaming were all for nothing.

Although he hadn't technically rejected her, he didn't exactly hold out his arms in joy of her feelings and fear of her death either.

_Walk_

"You and Pataki, huh? Mm, mm, mmm!" Gerald said in a monotone voice.

Arnold raised his head to look at his friend and asked "She said she's felt that way since pre-school. Did she really think she had to hide it for that long?"

Gerald gave his friend a questioning look and replied "No offense man, but we don't exactly have what most people would consider to be a non-judgemental class."

"She could have told me though!" Arnold snapped, without realizing how affected he was starting to feel by this.

"What are you so worried about? Now that she knows you don't have feelings for her, she'll probably leave you alone." Gerald pointed out, until complete silence formed between the two of them. DID Arnold have feelings for Helga? He was concerned after hearing the news about the gathering. He never had a problem with her joining the group for their activities. He was always able to toss her annoying stunts she played on him over his shoulder. Why was he so tolerant with her?

_Helga's Room_

"I can't believe I thought I had that stupid disease! Why would anyone believe anything Simmons says? Sheesh!" Helga said angrily, with her arms crossed, as she took a seat on her bed.

Phoebe placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and said "It's perfectly understandable to be a bit skeptical every once in a while Helga. I will admit, his lecture may have been a bit misleading for a class our age."

"Pttss...yeah, well what am I supposed to do about football head? Now that he knows, it's only a matter of time before the entire class is laughing at me!" Helga pointed out.

"I understand your concern, but Arnold doesn't strike me as that type of person. I'm sure he'd be willing to overlook anything you may have said to him, if it's clear it would make things right between the two of you."

Helga let out a deep sigh as she turned towards her friend and said "Thanks Pheebs."

_Later That Night_

Arnold was sitting in the kitchen in his pajamas when he heard Phil come downstairs. "Hey there shortman! How was the party? You and your girl have fun?" Phil winked.

"It wasn't a party grandpa."

"What the heck was it then?"

Arnold began to explain to Phil that Helga was giving away all her possessions. Unfortunately, he had to tell Phil he was right about Helga liking him. That still didn't explain why she chose then to do it.

"Well, like I said, she was to scared to do it in private. She needed a reason for all those other classmates of yours to be there. That way if you said no, she could just call it a joke and the highlight of the party!" Phil said proudly.

Arnold got up to head for his room as he said "Goog night grandpa."

"Night shortman."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: I'll Get It

_Arnold's Kitchen_

Arnold came downstairs for breakfast, still thinking about what Helga had told him. Was she just sick, or did she really mean it? If she did mean it, how was he supposed to give her a chance if she didn't change her ways?

Phil watched his grandson take a seat at the table, as he sighed and waited for breakfast.

"Mornin' shortman! Call your little friend yet? Hehe." Phil chuckled to himself.

"No, and I'm not so sure I should." Arnold said in a blunt tone.

Pookie began placing the flapjacks in front of her family in her cowgirl get up as she listened to her husband ask "Why the heck not?!"

"Lady Eleanor needs her rest slim! It's a big job running the white house!" Pookie interrupted after smacking her husband on the head with the spatula.

"OWW! The real job is putting up with you." Phil mumbled to himself.

After rolling his eyes at his grandparents eccentric behavior, Arnold said "She said she's liked me ever since she met me...but look at how she's treated me. If other people's opinions really scare her that much, am I just going to have to learn to deal with the act?"

Phil laughed at his grandson's worried attitude and said "Arnold, when I agreed to go out with your grandma, she didn't start being nice to people?"

"She didn't?"

"Heck no! She did everything she could to hide her feelings. The meaner she was though, the more it told me how deep her feelings are. I'll never forget the day she let me hold her hand in public. Of course she snatched it back the second we heard someone coming."

"Grandpa, what's your point?" Arnold frowned, as he waited for the lesson from his elder's short story.

"My point is, how someone treats you on the outside doesn't always confirm how they feel about you on the inside. I tell your grandma I like her cooking when it actually puts me on the toilet all night long." Phil explained to his grandson.

Arnold pondered this a moment. Even though he recalled the several times Phil had complained about dinner in front of Pookie, the old man did have a point.

Helga's House

While Helga awoke to a near empty room, only one thing was on her mind…

_What am I going to do when I see him at school tomorrow?!_

Helga was tempted to call Phoebe, her number one problem solver. Although she called Phoebe her best friend, there were times when she seemed more like a therapist.

Just as she was about to pick up the phone, it began to rang. Sweat formed on Helga's face, dreading the thought of who may be on the other line. Rather than risking it, she simply let it continue ringing.

A few moments after silence had taken place, Helga heard banging on her door "Hey Helga! You in there? It's your little friend Alfred on the phone!"

The nervous girl shook at her dad's news and replied "Umm okkaayyy. Thanks dad."

Bob turned away from the door as he said "Yeah whatever."

Helga's hand began to shake as she reached for the phone. Should she act like her normal hostile self now that the cat was out of the bag, or try to be a better friend to Arnold?

Before she could make up her mind, Helga was already holding the phone up to her ear as she said "Hello?"

"Helga? It's Arnold."

Old habits die hard, as she asked "What do YOU want?"

Not thinking anything of it after his talk with Phil, Arnold asked "I just wanted to know if I could walk you to practice?"

Helga lowered the phone as her eyes began to widen. She had forgotten all about baseball practice.

"Helga? Helga are you there?"

After shaking her head, the petrified girl said "Yeah, yeah. Whatever floats your boat football head."

Arnold rolled his eyes after listening to the sound of the dial tone and the fact that his friend wasn't willing to give in to reality. As Phil had said though, a person's actions doesn't always confirm their feelings about you.

_Phoebe's Room_

The small girl was reviewing her school work when the phone began to ring. Immediately after picking it up, she heard "Pheebs! Ya gotta help me!"

After holding the phone away from her ear a moment, Phoebe did her best to calm her friend and said "Just take a deep breath Helga. What exactly is it you're concerned about?"

How was Helga supposed to remain calm when not only was the love of her life headed her way, but to show himself standing beside her in front of all their friends?

She also found it a bit crazy for Phoebe not to know what could be on her mind after what had happened the previous day. After all, Phoebe was one of only three people who knew about her love for Arnold. If she knew Helga at all, this wasn't something she could just toss over her shoulder. Helga had to see it with her own eyes that everything would be okay, in order to prevent the unthinkable.

"Arnold wants to walk me to practice Pheebs! Like it's not bad enough he knows how I feel, what's everyone going to say when they see us showing up together?!"

After thinking about the fact that her friend was still coming to her for advice, Phoebe was feeling a bit relieved. Technically, she hadn't told Helga she was eavesdropping, but the idea that Helga still trusted her friend with her problems was heartwarming.

"As I said before Helga, I don't believe either of you was ready to take such an extraordinary step. Perhaps Arnold is willing to prove me wrong in this case."

Helga cocked her brow, while listening to her friend go on.

"Revealing to him what you did had to be a substantial surprise to him. Now that he's already contacting you, willing to give the two of you a chance, I believe shows you were wrong yesterday." Phoebe said, without realizing how bold she had sounded.

"Pttss yeah? Wrong about what?!"

"Well, as you may recall, you said Arnold not immediately returning your feelings was an implication that he in no way would have even been willing to return them."

"What's your point?"

"Now here he is, calling you at your home, asking to escort you to practice in front of our friends. He can't possibly think as lowly of you as you thought." Phoebe pointed out.

After deciding her friend had a point, Helga sighed and said "Yeah I guess so. See ya out there Pheebs."

_Walk_

Arnold was on his way to pick up Helga when he heard "Hey Arnold! The field's on this side of the street."

Arnold looked over at Stinky and the rest of the class who had already made it for practice. "I'll be back. I just need to pick up somebody."

"Pick up somebody? How in the heck can he do that, if he's bringing them all the way back here?" Stinky wondered.

Sid rolled his eyes at his slow friend and said "Whatever. Let's just do a few practice hits until everyone's here."

"Yeah well, they better be back soon! I didn't skip having third's on breakfast, just to wait around for him." Harold snapped.

_Helga's Kitchen_

Helga wasn't going to let the idea of Arnold now knowing her feelings turn her into one of those girly girl types. If he was willing to give her a shot as it, she wasn't going to waste her time with makeup and hairspray like Olga every morning.

The anxious girl took a seat at the kitchen counter with a bowl of cereal she was having trouble making herself eat. Not even the constant snoring of her knocked out mother on the opposite side of the counter was enough to take her attention away from what was about to happen with her and her friends.

As she sat there resting her head in one hand, stirring the cereal with her other, Helga wondered if today was going to make or break her lifelong dreams, until she heard…

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Her heart stopped, knowing who it was. As she slowly got down from the counter, Olga raced towards the front door to say "I'll get it!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: What Do We Have Here?

Arnold stood on the front porch, unsure of what he would say to Helga. After that phone call, she obviously wasn't ready to drop her old ways. How was he ever supposed to help her become comfortable around him if he didn't show he could handle her hostility though?

The door then opened when Arnold saw an unexpected face "Oh hey Olga. Is Helga around?"

"Arnold! Would you like to come in? I'm making a spe…"

Before Olga could finish her invite, Helga shoved her sister out of the way. She decided the only thing more uncomfortable than being escorted to the field with him, would be allowing him to share a meal with his family.

After slamming the door behind her, Helga snapped "Come on football head, we're burning daylight!"

Helga did her best to keep her cool, which turned out to be not so hard when she listened to Arnold say "You're sister seems nice."

The once nervous girl rolled her eyes and said "Oh yeah. Everybody loves Olga. Sheesh!"

Arnold could sense the frustration forming inside his no longer secret admirer and replied "You know, there's plenty of things to like you for too."

Helga's eyes widened as she let out a small gulp and said "Like what?"

"Well…"

Just as the two of them were beginning to really talk, they made it to Gerald field. With the few steps Helga was marching in front of Arnold, no one seemed to be able to put the pieces together.

_Gerald Field_

The group saw Helga marching a few steps ahead of Arnold as they listened to Stinky ask "Hey Arnold! Where's the person you were supposed to be picking up?"

Helga gulped at the question, as she stood frozen. They were going to have to find out at some point.

Before Arnold could speak however, Phoebe butted in and said "I believe he was looking for Gerald. Gerald had forgotten to mention to him, he was with me this morning however."

Helga smiled at her friend who was always looking out for her, while Gerald gave Arnold a knowing look.

"Whatever! Let's just play already!" Harold yelled.

"Yes. Now that everyone's here we can finally get started!" Rhonda said impatiently.

Gerald lifted an eyebrow at the stuck up girl and asked "Since when are you anxious to do anything unfeminine?"

The rest of the class laughed as Rhonda sneered "For your information, there is a sale taking place at the mall this afternoon that I simply cannot miss!"

Helga marched over to snatch to ball from Sid and grunted "Whatever. Everyone, take your usual positions, and try to actually CATCH the ball this time Frog Boy!"

Arnold took his place at short storp, watching Helga pitch the ball to Sheena. Why was he having such a hard time focusing on the game? Rather than paying attention to the ball, his eyes remained on the person throwing it. He didn't bother watching the direction the ball was being hit in, until he heard "Hey Arnold! Heads up man!"

"Huh?"

Before he could think about what was about to happen, Arnold was smacked on the head by the baseball.

After seeing her beloved fall to the ground in pain, Helga couldn't help but shout out "ARNOLD!"

As if it was just the two of them there, Helga went over to place her hand behind his sore head and comfort him.

Phoebe and Gerald gave each other knowing looks, while the rest of the class stared in silence. "I uhh think he's okay Helga?" Nadine pointed out.

After realizing how open she was being, Helga dropped him and said "Well doi! Of course he's okay. What kind of captain would I be if I didn't make sure my players were in the shape though?"

"If you believe that, why are you always ignoring Eugene when he gets hit?" Sid couldn't help but point out.

Arnold then stood from the ground as he rubbed his head and said "It's okay Sid. We can just get back to practice."

Eugene then stepped up to bat as he watched Helga do a terrible job pitching.

"What in the heck's going on Helga? You're throwing it everywhere except over the plate?" Stinky couldn't help but point out.

"Hey! It's not MY fault you losers don't know how to hit." the vexed girl said.

From what it looks like, you can't pitch "Sid couldn't help but say."

Helga grunted her teeth, threw down her mitt, and marched away from the field. Arnold watched her take off and said "Uhh maybe we should call it quits you guys."

"Wow! This ts the first time ever that i didn't get hi...Ow! I'm okay. Eugene insisted after tripping over Helga's baseball glove.

_Walk_

Helga was marching down the sidewalk, unsure of where she was headed. Just getting away from the class was good enough for her until she heard "Hey Helga! Wait up!"

She stopped and swooned when she heard her beloved chasing after her. Once he had caught up, he asked "Is everything okay? You seemed kind of distracted at practice."

After gulping at the accusation, Helga said "Yeah well, I'm not the one who got hit with a baseball."

Arnold laughed as he could sense Helga's nervousness returning. "I'm sorry we didn't get to finish talking earlier. Maybe we could take a walk around the park?"

Helga slowly began to smile as she replied "Uhh sure. I mean, whatever floats your boat football head."

_Mall_

"This is it! The exact outfit that was on the cover of this week's magazine!" Rhonda screamed, while searching through the clothes.

A service clerk came over and said "We sure do see you here a lot."

Rhonda held the outfit proudly and sneered "Only the best shoppers come here! I make sure to stay up to date with Pre-teen Miss' magazine and it's clothing style every month."

The service clerk smiled at her shopper and said "I actually know the man in charge of the magazines for the store. I met him at the park once."

_The Park_

At first their walk was quiet. The two of them circled the park until Arnold broke the silence and said "So, you've liked me since pre-school huh?"

"Like? You? Pttss...that ball must have hit you harder than I thought."

Arnold watched Helga rub her neck and said "You don't have to hide your feelings from me. If you don't care what people think of you being mean to them, I don't know why you would care what they would think of you being nice to me?"

Helga glared as she turned to what she wasn't sure was her friend (or more) now and snapped "Are you kidding me? The reason I've been putting on this charade all these years is because of the way everyone made fun of me for liking you in preschool! I can't give them a reason to think I really AM weak!"

Arnold frowned as he took Helga's hand and said "Liking someone doesn't make you weak Helga. Neither does putting up with another person's negativity. You've treated me badly all these years, but I never let it change who I am."

Feeling defeated, Helga sighed at the ground and said "Yeah I know. I'm not brave like you are Arnold. You honestly don't care what people think of you, while I have to pretend I don't."

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do Helga."

_Other Side_

Rhonda was circling the park with her bag full of clothes, hoping to run into the editor she had been informed of. As she searched the park with her eyes, two faces stood out to her.

Arnold was doing his best to convince Helga that there was nothing to worry about. Olga may get praised for her achievements, but there were plenty of things Helga deserved to be recognized for...if only she would allow it.

"Name one thing I deserve to be recognized for hair boy?" Helga scoffed as she stood with her hands on her hips, not believing he could come up with something.

Just as Arnold was about to answer, the two of them heard a familiar voice that said "Well, well, what do we have here?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Secret's Out

_P.S. 118_

_Hallway_

After seeing her two classmates in the park, Rhonda didn't care what their excuse was. Since when did Arnold and Helga come to each other to vent to (let alone hang out with).

Leaning against the locker in front of half the class, the fashionable girl said "You will simply not believe what I saw yesterday!"

Remembering her bragging about her trip to the mall at practice, Sid replied "Uhh a bunch of people?"

_Flashback_

_Park_

Arnold was trying to comfort Helga and her low self esteem when the two of them heard Rhonda approaching them. "Well, well. What do we have here?"

All it took to turn Helga's fear to rage was something or _someone _she didn't care to see at the moment. The blonde girl glared at her classmate and sneered "What do YOU want Princess? Couldn't afford your stupid magazine get up?"

Rhonda then returned the glare as she replied "For your information, I was searching for the editor of the magazine who advertising this fine clothing. I may have run into something better however."

Arnold watched the wide grin forming on his friend's face and asked "What do you mean?"

"Oh come now Arnold. It's obvious Helga is the last person you would want anyone knowing you had feelings for. You two didn't exactly ignore each other at practice." the snooty girl winked.

Helga began to clench her fists as Arnold kept his eyes on Rhonda and said "So what if we like each other? You like Harold don't you?"

While Rhonda could feel herself turning pale, Helga was no longer thinking about winning the argument. All that was on her mind was the fact that her beloved had just admitted he could see himself with her...even after the harsh way she had treated him.

_End of Flashback_

_Hallway_

After telling the class what she had seen (leaving out Arnold's point about her and Harold), Rhonda was anxious to see the two lovebirds appear.

"Bow howdy! Arnold likes Helga?!" Sid exclaimed.

Rather than giving her opinion, Lila smiled, happy for their friend. Although they hadn't kissed yet, she had always had a funny feeling Helga likes Arnold. Now to see the two willing to show their feelings for one another in public was just 'oh too perfect.'

"I reckon he must've got hit harder with that ball than we thought." Stinky assumed, never guessing his friend would fall for the class bully. Especially when Arnold was the one she seemed to give the most negative attention to.

Nadine never appreciated the way her friend tried to make the rest of the class look bad as she said "It's not so weird. You like Har…"

Rhonda immediately covered her friend's mouth while the group starred with confused looks. Just as they were headed to class, they saw their friends had already made it in there.

Arnold knew Helga wasn't ready to expose their feelings to everyone. He couldn't stop whatever Rhonda had planned, but that didn't mean he had to confront Helga in front of the class.

Phoebe turned to look at what appeared to be her jittery friend and asked "If everything alright Helga?"

Helga quickly turned to face Phoebe and replied "Alright? Of course it's alright! Why wouldn't it be?!"

The small girl then backed off, knowing this must have something to do with Arnold. The only question was what? They had been seen together, Arnold knew about her feelings, what was she worried about?

The rest of the class began to pour in with Mr. Simmons, before Rhonda had time to confront Helga.

"Good morning class! Today's going to be a very special day!" Mr. Simmons insisted.

For once, Helga decided to take her mind off Arnold and actually pay attention to what was going on in class. That is, until she saw something being passed back to her.

With the whole class already knowing about their feelings for each other, she didn't have time to be hesitant. She quickly snatched the note from Arnold and opened it to read…

_We never got to finish talking at the park_

Helga sighed at the thought of what had happened, and what they were discussing.

_Yeah I guess no_

After passing it back to him, Helga once again opened it to read

_You said, you're not brave and don't deserve to be recognized for anything. That couldn't be further from the truth. Everytime there's a project, fight, or issue for the group, you're always there. _

_Not only are you brave, you're loyal. Being loyal means doing something for someone even if you don't want to. You've said so many of my ideas were stupid, but you never backed out of helping._

Helga held the note close to her heart, doing her best not to swoon. After feeling the dazed look that had formed on her face, she shook her head to pass the note back…

_Yeah well, that doesn't make up for my non-feminine qualities, which is the whole reason they're looking for a reason to attack us about this! _

Arnold read the note, frowning at her response. Apparently, nothing he had said to her in the park had gotten through to her.

_That night everyone slept over at Rhonda's and scared the boys, you were the only one who didn't scare me, because you weren't trying to be more feminine than I already know you are._

Helga didn't know what to say to that. All throughout the year, she had seen him fall for girls like Ruth and Lila, pretty girls who easily drew men's attention to them. Did he like them because they were pretty, or because something about them stood out?

One thing was for sure, Helga's inability to keep her opinions to herself (be them good or bad) definitely made her stand out.

_Cafeteria_

After walking directly past Arnold, hoping not to cause a scene, Helga took a seat at a table with her best friend. There she showed the note to Phoebe that she and Arnold had been passing back and forth. Normally she wouldn't reveal such personal information. Phoebe had always known Helga's feelings for Arnold were true, without judging her for them however.

Once the note had been read, Phoebe looked up at her friend and said "It seems as though things are going as you always wished they would."

Helga nearly shouted, forgetting where they were, and snapped "What the heck are you talking about?!"

Confused by her friend's outburst, Phoebe explained "Helga, Arnold finally knows the truth and is not only running from it, but trying to make things work between the two of you without changing it."

Helga sighed as she rested her head in her hand, leaning against the table "I know Pheebs, but what are we supposed to do about the rest of the class?"

_Lunch Line_

The boys were grabbing what they needed from the line as though nothing was wrong, until they heard "Arnold and Helga sittin' in a tree. K-I-something-I-N-G."

Arnold rolled his eyes at Harold's comment while Gerald looked at him and said "Well you don't exactly have a girlfriend of your own Big Boy."

"Girlfriend! Whilikers! You two really are datin' huh Arnold?" Stinky said in bewilderment.

While Arnold began to blush, he wasn't going to let his friend's opinions of his love life ruin it. The blonde boy soon left the line and went to sit with Helga.

That is, until he saw someone had already taken a seat beside her.

Helga rolled her eyes when she watched Rhonda invite herself to sit with them. Rather than asking what she wanted, Helga waited to hear what Rhonda had come over to bug her about.

"Why hello Rhonda." Phoebe greeted her classmate.

"Hello Phoebe. I just came to say, I couldn't help but notice you and Arnold passing notes back to each other in class, as opposed to him wiping the crumpled up notes you use as spit wads to aim at the back of his head out."

Helga cocked her brow at the accusation and asked "What's your point?"

"My point is, either you really were sick when you invited us over, or you know as much about acting as I do about fashion."

"Oh who asked you Princess!" Helga yelled just as the bell began to ring.

_Classroom_

Once they made it back to the classroom, Arnold and Helga seemed to be the only ones having a hard time paying attention to the math lesson (which was a first). Rather than passing notes, they were both thinking about the way school was going. Normally when something embarrassing happened, it only took a day for the group to get over it.

This was big however. How long would it take for them to get used to it if they had never liked her to begin with.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: We Can Still Be Friends

After a hard day at school, Helga walked home alone to see her sister cooking in the kitchen.

"Bohn swah baby sister! You're just in time for dinner!" Olga said excitedly, while placing the remainder of her dishes on the dining room table.

"Yeah get your tail over here, so we can start eating would ya?!" Bob snapped.

Helga cocked her brow at her demanding father and said "It's barely four o' clock?"

Bob snapped at what he considered to be his ungrateful daughter "Hey! Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey! If your sister feels like cooking, she can do it whenever the heck she wants to! Got it?"

Helga rolled her eyes at the sad explanation and scoffed "Pttss...thanks, but I'm not hungry. See ya."

The family watched their youngest member head up the stairs as Bob said "Whatever. More for me then."

_The Boarding House_

After watching the pets pour past him, Arnold entered the building to hear "That you shortman?"

The troubled boy took a seat in the kitchen, where he saw Phil had already found a snack of his own.

The elderly man Arnold took a seat at the table to see Phil finishing up a roast beef sandwich, as he listened to him say "Gotta get in my eatin' time before your grandma makes watermelon for dinner again. Otherwise I'll be on the commode all night."

Phil looked at his grandson rest his troubled head in his hand as he stared at the table and asked "What seems to be the problem shortman?"

Arnold wasn't anxious to talk about Helga with Phil, after all the gloating he had done. The cat was out of the bag however, so why did it matter now?

"Well, Rhonda saw Helga talking to me yesterday at the park. Then she told the whole class today that we're dating. Now I don't know if she believes I feel that way about her or not?"

"Well, do you? It shouldn't be a trick question." Phil asked anxiously.

"Well, I always wondered if there was a reason she paid so much attention to me…"

Phil then butted in to say "But do YOU like HER? Get your head on straight boy!"

Arnold became what appeared frustrated as he snapped "That's just it! Everyone is making it impossible for me to figure out! Helga won't open up to me, because she knows if she does, the class will be all over us...and she's right."

"Since when do you care about what people think of you?" Phil wondered, while giving his grandson a puzzled look.

Arnold sighed at the question and replied "I don't, but she does."

Phil chuckled at his grandson's concern and said "Arnold, let me tell ya a story. It was the beginning of sixth grade. You know, when all that puberty and hormone stuff starts to kick in. Anywho, I noticed your grandma wasn't messing with me as much. At first I thought she was ill. Then months went by, and no random acts of meanness were seen, except for the occasional insult."

Arnold lifted an eyebrow at the story as he sat up and asked "Uhh grandpa, what's your point?"

"The point is, this won't last forever. You're only nine. Far too young to be thinking about this stuff. Although it is nice to have someone feel that attached to you already. Either way, Your little classmates will start to leave you alone, because they'll have more important things to worry about. Like finding a date for themselves hehe."

Arnold stood from the table after seeing Phil had gotten out his laughs and said "Thanks grandpa."

_Helga's Room_

Helga sat in her closet before her new shrine made of a broomstick and said…

_Oh Arnold, how could I be so naive as to let this happen? Is your kind and understanding nature really worth the torment our class has put us through? Shall I go back to my old ways and claim it all to be a cruel prank? If only I…_

Once again Helga's emotional time to herself was interrupted as she heard a knock on the door.

The annoyed girl rolled her eyes, surprised not to hear a bang along with a loud voice on the other end.

She then opened it to find Arnold standing before her. "Arnold! I mean, what do you want, football head?"

Arnold shook his head at the greeting and asked, is it okay if I come in for a minute?

Helga's eyes widened at the request; Arnold, in her room? By choice?

"Uhhh sure I guess?"

After seeing him take a seat on the bed, Helga crossed her arms and asked "So what's this all about football head?"

The blonde boy couldn't help but notice the open closet with stacks of books resembling the poetry one he had found. Then he remembered what his grandfather had told him.

"Helga, the reason I came over was to tell you, even if we do have feelings for each other, we're still too young to be acting on them."

The nervous girl began tugging at her collar and replied "Uhh feelings? For you? I don't know what you're talking about?"

Arnold rolled his eyes as he stood from the bed and said "Look, I know word has gotten out about us, but like all things, it'll pass. You don't have to be nice to me if going back to your old ways is what makes you comfortable. Besides, we're too young to be thinking about this stuff anyway."

Helga nearly swooned at Arnold's patient attitude and replied "Yeah well, even if those losers keep it up, they can just talk to Ol' Betsy here."

"Whatever you say Helga. You want to get something to eat?" Arnold offered.

Helga gulped at the thought of someone seeing them, then remembered like all things, it would pass. "Sure, I mean, whatever floats your boat football head."

_The Pier_

After a quiet walk across town with her beloved, Helga finally listened to him say "I'm going to grab us some corn dogs if you want to go sit down."

Helga didn't hesitate to take a seat as she sat with her legs hanging over the pier, listening to the rushing water. There she looked ahead and saw Elk Island.

It reminded her of the time they actually thought there may be a Wheezin' Ed (everyone accept her that is).

It was one of the many chances she had to tell Arnold the truth about how she felt. Yet, all she did was take it as an opportunity to be near him (as if the rest of the group didn't find that to be awkward enough).

_The cat's out of the bag. Maybe we're too young to act on my dream, but that doesn't mean it's too late to discuss it._

Just as Helga was about to get up and say this to him, Arnold took a seat beside her. "Sorry that took so long. There isn't normally a line over there."

Helga hesitantly took her corn dog and replied "Uhhh don't worry about it."

The two were sitting as quietly as they were on their walk over, until Arnold finally broke the silence "So, I couldn't help but notice that stack of books in your closet."

Helga nearly choked on her corn dog as she replied "Yeah. So what?"

"Nothing I guess. I just never knew you were interested in that type of thing. At least not that much."

Helga began to blush fiercely and snapped "Well, what the heck am I supposed to do in a house with a neglecting family? I've gotta find SOME way to entertain myself. Sheesh!"

Arnold laughed at her excuse and said "I guess they just reminded me of this time I found a little pink book with poems written about me. You know, the one you ripped the last page out of."

Helga then went from blushing to sweating like crazy as she set her food down and said "Oh yeah...uh sorry about that."

Arnold smiled as he set his hand close to hers and asked "Why DID you rip out the last page?"

Helga rolled her eyes, knowing what he was doing. It was obvious she had written it. He just wanted her to admit it "Oh come on football head, don't make me say it!"

After an awkward silence took place, Arnold looked at his friend staring at the water and said "I know the class isn't mature enough to handle the idea of us being a couple, but that doesn't mean you never could have told ME how you felt. I wouldn't have shown it to everyone if I knew it was yours."

Helga batted her eyelashes and let out a swoon at her beloved's kind and caring nature. How could she go back to treating him the way she always had after seeing his forgiving attitude could even apply to her.

"Yeah well...I guess I could take lighten up a bit on you. Besides, there are plenty of other people in the class to attack." the blonde girl said.

Arnold shook his head at what Helga considered to be the solution to their problem and said "Whatever you say Helga."

_Helga's House_

A few hours later, Arnold showed himself to be the gentleman Helga knew he was, by walking her home that evening.

"I know where I live football head. You didn't have to do this." Helga reminded him.

"I know I didn't HAVE to, but I wanted to. Just because we're not in a relationship doesn't mean we can't still spend time together, right?"

Helga began to blush, as she rubbed the back of her neck and said "Uhh I guess not."

Arnold then waved goodbye to his friend, as he watched her walk inside.

After seeing Bob had finished the early meal his daughter made for the family, Olga was in the kitchen, doing the dishes. She happily greeted her younger sibling when seeing Helga enter the house "Hello baby sister! How was your night with Arnold?"

Helga took a seat at the counter, while watching her sister scrub the dishes and said "Just peachy."

"Why do you look so sad? Was he mean to you?" Olga gasped, as Helga rolled her eyes at her sister's density.

As much as she hated talking to Olga, Helga had to know something "Let me ask you something Olga.

"Anything baby sister!"

While holding back her annoyance of Olga's enthusiasm, Helga continued on and said "That time I switched your grades from college, were you upset because you let yourself down, or because you were afraid of what everyone thought of you?"

Olga thought about this a moment (not pleased at the memory) and replied "Hmmm...I love being noticed, but I also get really sick of the performing I have to do to make it happen."

Helga rolled her eyes as she left the kitchen, not knowing what made her think Olga would be on any use to her.

The blonde girl then made it to her room, where she threw herself on the bed, thinking about everything that had happened the past few days?

While her sister was never any use, she thought about what Arnold had said to her "Just because we're not in a relationship doesn't mean we can't still spent time together."

Olga may hate performing, but perhaps she just enjoyed being around the people she loved. Helga may put on a charade like her sister, but now that Arnold knew the truth, that didn't mean they couldn't still act like friends (which in her case, was no act).

Like she said, there were plenty of other people to introduce Ol' Betsy to.

_**THE END!**_

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